New Tahoe Q5SF pickup in a month!

[BoatDrinksQ5]

New 19.5' 4.3l merc 190hp boat, new to boat ownership, new to I/O, new to big boat world... (grew up with a 14' alum...)

I know the Tahoe brand is a bit weak :-/ - but i really liked the layout for use as a fish and skii compared to bayliners/glastron after seeing them all head to head at a boat show. price was better also. But now i am making sure to check for "gotchas of 'cheaper' boats" so i can try to nip in the butt. (mold/vinyl issues, weak gelcoat, etc...) Things to watch/guard against?

I am trying to read as much as possible on this forum and around the web on maintenance, winterizing, start-up, boating accessories/products i'll need or want, and common boat issues.

Curious what typically goes down at a boat pickup? Any questions that are worth asking? I suppose mainly anything that is specific to THIS boat vs a typical Mercruiser platform that can be easily researched online.

Thanks for any input - trying to get as much info to shake the -newb- feeling...

 

[DuckHunterJon]

Re: New Tahoe Q5SF pickup in a month!

Can't really help as I've never bought a new one. Just wanted to say congrats on the new rig. Tahoe's don't get alot of love, but enjoy the heck out of it regardless!

 

[tpenfield]

Re: New Tahoe Q5SF pickup in a month!

New 19.5' 4.3l merc 190hp boat, new to boat ownership, new to I/O, new to big boat world... (grew up with a 14' alum...)

I know the Tahoe brand is a bit weak :-/ - but i really liked the layout for use as a fish and skii compared to bayliners/glastron after seeing them all head to head at a boat show. price was better also. But now i am making sure to check for "gotchas of 'cheaper' boats" so i can try to nip in the butt. (mold/vinyl issues, weak gelcoat, etc...) Things to watch/guard against?

I am trying to read as much as possible on this forum and around the web on maintenance, winterizing, start-up, boating accessories/products i'll need or want, and common boat issues.

Curious what typically goes down at a boat pickup? Any questions that are worth asking? I suppose mainly anything that is specific to THIS boat vs a typical Mercruiser platform that can be easily researched online.

Thanks for any input - trying to get as much info to shake the -newb- feeling...

Congrats on the new boat . . . Many folks like the layout of the Tahoes versus competitive brands. The wearker points of the boats, which you will find various threads, here and elsewhere, tend to be gelcoat hairline cracks and hardware coming loose. So, those are the things to try to nip in the bud stages. Mold on vinyl & stuff like that . . . actually mold cannot tell the difference among the various boat brands, so it gets them all fairly evenly.

As far as the Mercruiser . . . no real worries there. You will want to do justice to the engine during the "break-in" period. If you hear us talking about ear muffs, that is not because it is cold out. So, make sure you have some 'muffs' to run the boat in the driveway, if you plan on doing your own seasonal prep and maintenance work.

Post questions as they come up.

 

[PrinceValium]

Re: New Tahoe Q5SF pickup in a month!

Welcome to the forum and congrats on the new boat! Mine is fairly new as well and I absolutely love my Tahoe. I can tell you that besides the price of the boat...I really don't think the boat is cheaply made nor does it look like it. I can't tell you how many people have commented on how good the boat looks when we are at the lake. So far I am happy with the way the boat performs and look to have another great summer of fun with it. (Even during the winter months here I will be on the boat)

BTW there is also a Tahoe specific forum on the site...just go to forum by brand name. Here is a link.

http://forums.iboats.com/Tahoe_Boats

 

[BoatDrinksQ5]

Re: New Tahoe Q5SF pickup in a month!

thanks for the input guys - thanks Valium i hadn't noticed that brand specific section! Already learned a few things there.

I guess i drive a Corolla and an Outlook.... If my econo boat can serve me as well as my econo cars...i'll be pleased.